Our Trip To Gurney’s Montauk

While we are not (nor have we ever been) Montauk locals, we had begun to take on that jaded attitude of thinking there was nowhere there to stay that didn’t double as a frat party. Now, even though our trip to Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa did not include Patrick Swayze trying to run his hand down our side as we giggled and Time of My Life played in the background (to our dismay), we did find the Hamptons destination to be everything we hoped for and more – mainly for having that classic Catskills resort vibe where everybody knows your name; cue Cheers.

Gurney’s boasts activities, a bevvy of restaurants where you see many of the same faces day and night, a beach, a pool, a spa, and a tremendously attractive staff; one that extends beyond the two Jets-verses-Sharks-esque realms of dance and food (as realistic as that element of Dirty Dancing was).

We met people there who have had family timeshares for decades, but the spot was recently renovated and transformed into a place that is modern and cool yet keeping with quintessential Montauk. The resort includes a perfectly designed coffee shop, a modern New York City restaurant concept, a private, full-service beach, and enough activities – from bonfires to yoga on the roof – to make you actually want to camp there all year around (if Showtime’s The Affair didn’t have that effect on your already). Some notable new potatoes below:

Scarpetta: It’s not a ‘new potato’ per say (the one in Miami is a personal favorite of ours) but this addition to the Montauk dining scene could not come at a better time. Reserve a table outside overlooking the beach, and enjoy the rarity that is good restaurant service in the Hamptons. Also, get the Spaghetti Pomodoro. (We harassed them for the recipe, so you can also try to make it at home).

Tillie’s: The casual concept restaurant is a much more low-key option and serves super fresh seafood (we loved the crabcakes in particular) and delicious lobster rolls with sriracha mayo. Done and done.

The Beach Club: Gurney’s is proud of the fact that it is the only resort in Montauk with a full-service beach – and it should be. It’s a big enough beach that you can stay far enough away from the Hampton’s partiers, but small enough that the wait staff is super attentive to your every need. We’re also trying to figure out how to incorporate the adorable yellow and white striped umbrellas into our apartment decor.

Regent Cocktail Club: We can safely say there is no other place like this in Montauk. This classic cocktail club feels more like a place you’d stumble upon in Manhattan or Los Angeles, and we like it that way. While we love to drink rosé on the beach as much as the next person, every once in a while it’s nice to go on a beach vacation and end the day with a good Old Fashioned.

Also deserving of a mention: the newly renovated rooms, which are clean, modern and worthy of their prices, and the overall supremely elevated design. And last, but certainly not least, one of the great things about Gurney’s, that can be said of almost no other beach resort is this: We cannot wait to visit in the winter.

Book a weekend at Gurney’s. Get the recipe for Scarpetta’s amazing Spaghetti Pomodoro here.